


Paranoid Android

by montes-carpatus (Carpathyah)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Future, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Cyborgs, Established Relationship, M/M, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2018-02-12 19:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2122482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carpathyah/pseuds/montes-carpatus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael Jones, a mechanical engineer, is in a relationship with Geoff Ramsey, a veteran of war and Cyborg. Geoff’s paranoia to be one day discovered by the government is inevitable and slowly begins to influence his partner into believing that they’re being watched</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paranoid Android

Michael awoke to the ruffling sound of his lover getting out of bed. He blinked his eyes open to read the fuzzy read digital numbers on the ancient clock. It was 7:22am and the sun was barely up in the sky yet. The blinds were shut tight in the apartment where they slept and hid away from the world. The green roofs of the town was turning from the brown shine of the copper to the matted light mint green that made the city look abandon. Yet, the town was in full blown chaos at the time to head to each correspondent office or factory for the 8am shift.

Though, it was known that the human race was slower at working. therefore the unemployment rate for humans was declining at a rapid pace leaving many of them to take any work they can get their hands on. They were being replaced by androids, or that was the “correct” term for them. Humans called them robots or heartless machines in their appropriate language.

“You’re up early; battery died?” Michael asked to the man who kept staring out the window with big wide blue eyes. His robotic arm was connected in three sections to wires that plugged into the wall. Maybe three wires was excessive but it was better to be charged than a dead battery. Sometimes he forgot that part of his body was mechanical and he would feel his arm get numb. Though, he never understood how he could “forget” his arm was mechanical when it was blatantly metallic, cold and blinking lights.

“Yeah, I needed a drink too,” he replied as he continued staring out the window. Michael sat up in bed with no sign of a bottle of whiskey in the open room. He shrugged it off and got out of bed.

“Whatever Geoff. Could you fucking stop staring out the window? They won’t find you here, I’m sure of it,” he told him as he started up the coffee machine.

“Better be paranoid than reckless,” he answered back. “Asshole.”

His arm flashed green and ripped the chords from his arm. He clenched his fist and unclenched, feeling how nice and smooth his joints were moving now that he was fully charged. He looked at his hands side by side, he was due to get his decals done but it wasn’t a rush and he could live without them matching for a little while.

“I have appointments today at the shop, you coming?” Michael asked as he finished his cup of coffee and headed to the bathroom to wash up. Geoff looked at him and followed close behind, wanting to be in the shower with him. Michael heard the door lock behind him. Geoff was pulling on the large rubber glove that he pinned at his shoulder. “I rust proofed you last week, you’re fine to be under water.”

Geoff didn’t listen and wore the glove in the shower. He pulled at his waist, kissing his lips under the hot water of the shower. Michael’s hands cupped Geoff’s face, feeling the start of a beard alongside his signature curly mustache. Michael pulled away to breathe.

“You’re going to make me late for my appointments dammit.” he cursed. Geoff only grinned as he began to wash Michael’s body though they both knew it was no use in the morning when he would be covered in oil by lunch time and they would require another shower in the evening.

Downtown Austin was still a beautiful town with large blue skyscrapers and glass windows. It seemed like an untouchable building. The rest of Austin had been left to rust, literally. The streets were filled with dust and sand due to the rising heat of the sun. Michael had exited the apartment in ripped jeans and a white sleeveless top. His working gloves made an awkward bump in his back pocket and his hair was a long shaggy mess. Geoff wanted to cut it off but this time, it was Michael’s turn to be stubborn.

Michael walked into the open garage door, pulling on his work gloves at the same time.

“Hey Michael,” his co-worker Jack had greeted. His waved to Geoff also, whom was dressed in jeans and a leather jacket, t-shirt and leather gloves. Michael had given him hell when he decided on the gloves due to the smoggy weather but Geoff shook it off as he “doesn’t sweat anymore.”

Michael was a mechanical engineer, one of the remaining humans in the Austin area that could fix an android (and cyborgs) without mechanical or human error. He took the large projects of the company.

Geoff was a soldier and a friend of a co-worker, war took his mind and his arm. Despite it being entirely illegal to perform mechanical modifications on human beings, Michael took it upon himself to make Geoff an arm like he used to do merely five years ago. What he only realized a year later that Geoff was under search for governmental fraud and now for being an illegal cyborg. His face was all over the news for the longest time and the hype only calmed down recently.

Whenever a human turned cyborg, or android developed feelings, they would be disposed of. Democracy and equality were extinct words to the American language. He was a prisoner of war.

“Geoff, can you pass me the wrench? There’s a loose bolt on this thing,” Michael asked from the top of the android’s body. Geoff searched through the red toolbox and found the wrench he was looking for. He pulled off his glove and extended his arm until he reached him. Michael took the wrench and thanked him. Geoff pulled it back down and quickly pulled back on his glove. He didn’t matter how many times he would have to take off, it was better than getting caught without it for a split second.

Geoff was in charge of the paperwork, and helped those around the garage. They all knew he was a cyborg among humans. No one treated him differently. Though, he kept on his toes for the minute a man in a black suit would walk in the garage, he would hide wherever he could.

“I promise you, if we gotta run, we’re going to run, I’m not letting them take you away [from me]. Do you understand?” Michael told him to soothe his anxiety.

At the end of Michael’s shift, he took the time to take smaller appointments. His regular was a cyborg named Joel Heyman. A man who had lost almost the entire left side of his body in the war. His old mechanic had left the city and had heard of Michael through word of mouth.

“What’s up Joel?” Michael asked. Joel looked up at Geoff who kept glaring at him.

“I’m having a glitch in my ribs, might have a gear that’s jamming,” he explained as he took off his shirt, much to Geoff’s disapproval. Michael shot him a look that told him it was his job. Michael pulled down the little magnifying glass on his glasses and opened up Joel’s side with a screwdriver and tweezers. He carefully inspected the area and found the problem. He asked for some oil and a flathead screwdriver. Geoff handed him the objects and watched Michael pull out parts and drip oil in the gears. It was a delicate task that took him no more than ten minutes to fix.

“Okay, get up and jog a little, work the lungs,” Michael instructed. Joel looked at him and just jumped in place. Michael looked up from his glasses and watched Joel’s ribcage as he jumped. He put his hand up to stop and pressed his ear to Joel’s side. Joel’s face was flushed with embarrassment. “Sounds a lot better, when was your last rust proofing?”

“About a year ago, maybe nine months?” he thought.

“You should be fine then, call me if you notice rust in that section okay?” Michael instructed as Joel nodded. Michael never charged his cyborgs. There was no use in charging a group of people who needed him. Michael cleaned his hands of oil and his workspace. “Why don’t you go see Jon for your tattoos while I clean up?”

“He’s too close to the front of the door.”

Michael sighed. “It’s just your hand. Take off your glove.” he turned to kiss him a peck on the lips. “He wouldn’t let you get noticed either.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Okay, your choice. I have a shift tomorrow at noon” Michael continued as Geoff gave him all the done paperwork.

Geoff plugged himself in that night, his battery was at the 50% but he wanted to be cautious (this time). Michael was flipping through the news. Geoff was stuck to the limited chord, wanting to sit next to him and remind him how he still loved him.

“Michael,” he said out loud. Michael turned from the sofa and saw he was plugged in. He chuckled because it was as if he was a puppy tied to a tree. He turned off the TV and walked to the bed, letting Geoff wrap around his arms around him. He comforted the older man as he tried not to tangle himself in the wires. “Something’s off, I can feel it.”

Michael raised an eyebrow as he ran his fingers up and down Geoff’s spine, feeling the cold metal around his side. “Want me to check your drivers? Battery?”

“No no! Not that something. Just I feel like I’m being watched, more than usual,” he admitted. Michael’s heart picked up its pace. He looked at the front door and squinted if the door was locked, both in the door and chain. Were the windows closed? The blinds were shut.

Perhaps it was better to be a little more paranoid than usual. Maybe Geoff’s paranoia wasn’t some form of PTSD from the war. Maybe, they weren’t alone.

Michael and Geoff were on their toes as they entered the garage the next day. Geoff didn’t even bothering going to see Jon for his decals. He sat on the stool by Michael’s side like a German Shepard. He packed a bag just in case.

“I don’t want you running again! You ran for three fucking years and now that I finally have you safe and sound, I don’t want any of this bullshit. I love you, and your robotic arm. I built that arm for you, from scratch. You’re more than a cyborg to me Geoff. You’re everything,” Michael cried that night as he watched Geoff pace around the room. Geoff stopped pacing to take Michael’s face in his hands. So much youth still left that he didn’t want to destroy. He kissed him, hard. His metal fingers leaving cold prints on his cheeks.

On the third day, Jack had notified them of some police officers that kept walking in front of the garage. Michael’s heart couldn’t rest and Geoff was twitching, pulling out a knife out of his wrist like the walls were talking to him. Perhaps the walls were telling them things they didn’t catch on.

Michael’s eyes were wide open during the night, listening for the noises outside and inside. Geoff’s battery was on low when he fell asleep, and the beeping on his arm was enough to put him to sleep. He would wake up as if the room of his open apartment was closing on him.He would fall back down onto his pillow for what seemed an hour before he got up to make coffee. His with exactly two spoons of sugar and a tablespoon of cream. The caffeine woke up his mind and he felt more alert.

“Did you hear that?” Geoff said as he almost jumped out of his stool in the garage. Michael did and he turned around, ready to run if needed.

“Jon probably just dropped something,” Michael saw Jon pick off something off the floor. Maybe it was all joke, a scare, to get him to quit his job as one of the best mechanical engineers in Austin. Geoff at this point was a nobody to the system (but everything to him) and there was no way that they could track down his arm.

It was dark when he was done his jobs for the day. Geoff was pacing around the garage, checking, putting things into place.

“Maybe I should get my tattoos done tomorrow.” Geoff announced. Michael looked at the door then to Geoff, who was putting away materials and tools Jon left around his workplace.

“Up to you,” he said as he waited on a customer. She came in 15 minutes early but he didn’t mind and sat her down.

“Ow! Ow! It’s shocking me! Michael! ” she screamed as he let go of the wire. What was he doing? He slapped his cheek to wake up before looking up to the blonde goddess in front of him.

“Sorry! Shit, I’m so fucking sorry, Barbara, give me a second, it shouldn’t hurt anymore,” he slowly re-wired her calf. It hummed back to life as he stood back. She pushed back her blonde hair as she looked at him in surprise.

“Are you okay Michael?” she asked worriedly. He didn’t know himself. She rolled down her torn jeans once she got off the chair. She didn’t know what to tell him than a simple thank you and walked out of the garage. Michael looked up at the digital clock on the wall that had been hanging there since before they had moved in. He sat himself in his chair, looking at his hands.

“What if I’m a robot too?” he asked. He pinched his skin at the fingers but he only got human flesh. He placed his hand on his heart and felt it beating. He shook his head in hopes of returning to reality and push aside his depersonalization. He looked at his garage space and watched Jon stick on Geoff’s tattoos onto his hand. Jon’s back faced the copper world while Geoff didn’t stop staring outside. His foot shook in agitation from being so close to the door. Michael could feel Geoff’s heartbeat race a mile a minute worse than his own. He could sense the anxiety that radiated off him.

Jack was working on a device he created. Jack was the more fearless out of them all. Ready to face police and protect them all. He admired Jack for his bravery. He was calm, collected, and had a heart of gold. Jack looked up at him from his glasses and saw how still he sat in the chair.

“You look pale Michael, the paranoia finally getting to you?” he spoke. Michael slowly blinked.

“I’m not paranoid, asshole,” he spat back unnecessarily.  Jack chuckled.

“Keep saying that yourself, they’re not coming for you, first of all.”

“The world is after me. You might be out to get me for all I know,” Michael replied. He didn’t mean it. Jack could never hurt him. Or was he?

“If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve have done it years ago.”

Michael began to fidget in the chair.

“I wouldn’t hurt Geoff either, ever, both of you,” Jack comforted, seeing his eyebrows furrow in questioning. It was as if Jack knew what he was thinking.

It was getting dark, and maybe darkness was the culprit for the games his eyes were playing on him. He held on tightly onto Geoff’s hand and Geoff held on back, his other hand in a tight fist.

Perhaps Geoff locked the door, maybe he didn’t, it didn’t matter because Michael checked and it was locked. Suddenly, he was grateful for an open apartment because he could see everything with just a turn of the head.

He watched the oils and dirt drip off his body and down the drain. He looked at himself without his glasses, the blurs of flesh and hair. He made sure to check himself for anything. He rubbed down his skin from head to toes and he sighed when he didn’t find anything.

Geoff was waiting for him on the bed, and he joined him. The TV stayed off. Michael took in Geoff’s warmth and he enjoyed the cool touch of metallic fingers on his skin. The moon was high in the sky when Michael finally fell asleep. Geoff smiled as he watched his lover sleep deeply for the first time in a while. His freckled skin glowed in the light of the white moon against the copper roofs. Geoff couldn’t sleep as usual and looked out the window. He scanned the streets and the building tops. He saw the men hidden away in buildings and whom he thought were neighbours and harmless android among humans.

He knew one day they’ll have to run and he felt the regret of dragging Michael in his mess. He believed one day he’ll be able to live among humans but until then, they knew the power he had contained in his arm was stronger than any android on the market (and he had Michael to thank for and who knows how many other cyborgs had he built limbs for).

He flipped his metallic finger up to whomever was watching and closed the curtains.

Not tonight, but always tomorrow.


End file.
